Before Beijing she was ranked fifth in the world and rated an
underdog. Not this time. Suddenly Australia's Sally McLellan is the
gold medal favourite for her event - the 100m hurdles - at the
World Championships beginning today.

With the absence of American Lolo Jones, McLellan has the
fastest time this year of anyone in the field. But the unflappable
Australian said she did not care whether she was favourite or not
when the heats start on Tuesday, German time.

"I don't feel any pressure really," she said yesterday. "I don't
think about it. I leave what people are thinking at home, I come
over here and don't let any of the pressures get to me. I try and
enjoy myself. This is what I love to do and what I train for."

Still just 22 and likely to be the youngest athlete in the final
of her event on Wednesday, the Australian has sizzled tracks across
Europe in recent weeks, beating all major contenders for the title
and snatching the race favourite tag from Beijing Gold Medallist
Dawn Harper.

In Monaco last month she ran a personal best and Australian
record of 12.50 seconds - the fastest of anyone this year save
Jones, who is missing the World Championships with injury.

"I am going in with the feeling that I can produce something
really exciting," Mclellan said yesterday. "That doesn't scare
me."

But there is also agreement from most of the competitors that
the 100m hurdles is extremely open. The best times of the top seven
athletes are all close and the higly-technical nature of the event
means that anyone can have a disastrous race and anyone can
win.

She is not getting ahead of herself but knows her chances are
strong. "In Australia if you win a gold medal in track and field it
is just an amazing thing, relally. It would be great," she
said.

It was bright and sunny in the German capital yesterday but
inclement weather is forecast for early next week. That will play
into McLellan's hands - Australians wanting to see her claim a gold
medal at these championships might want to consider a long-distance
rain dance.

The Queenslander likes to run in the rain, she peeled off an
impressive run in Lausanne last month to win in 12.60seconds during
a torrential downpour and as lightning peeled across the
stadium.

Stiff competition will come from Harper but also from Michelle
Perry, the reigning world champion is also back in strong form
while another American, Virginia Powell and Jamaican Delloreen
Ennis-London are all capable of a medal of any colour.

It was Harper who beat McLellan for Gold in Beijing but the
Australian is in better shape now than she was before that
competition. There are no thoughts of revenge, though.

"You have to focus solely on yourself, on your lane only," she
said. "You don't really have time to think about anybody else
because ti is over in a flash. In a few seconds you could hit a
hurdle and fall from first to seventh. You can't focus on anone
else."